The police in Lagos State on Thursday arraigned two of the protesters protesting against demolitions in Oworonshoki, Makoko and Owode Onirin areas of the state.

The police on Wednesday brutalised the protesters and fired tear gas canisters to disperse the procession which eventually stopped at the gate of the Lagos State House of Assembly. 

The two protesters, identified as Hassan ‘Soweto’ and Dele Frank, were arraigned before Justice A.I.O Alaka at the Yaba Magistrate Court, on Thursday.

A copy of the suit obtained by The Peoples Gazette showed that the state police commissioner, Jimoh Moshood, alleged that Messrs r Soweto and Frank committed five offences.

The charges are “conspiracy to commit felony, attempt to cause breach of peace, threat to harm members of the public, traffic obstruction and singing abusive songs against the police and the Lagos State government.”

Responding to the five-count charges, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the changes preferred against them

Representing the defendants, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, who applied for bail in liberal terms, argued that the charges by the state CP violated Sections 39 and 40 of the Nigerian constitution, which guaranteed the freedom of expression and assembly.

Ruling over the case, Justice Alaka, granted the two defendants separate bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties each.

The presiding judge also granted the release of the defendants to their defence counsel, Mr Falana, who was equally mandated to produce the defendants on Friday morning to complete the bail conditions.

The case was subsequently adjourned to March 3, 2026 for further hearing.

Recall that on Wednesday residents affected by the demolitions in communities such as Oworonshoki, Makoko, Otumara, Baba Ijora and Owode Onirin, protested against the inhumane living conditions impacted by the eviction decision ordered by the Lagos State government.

The protesters, led by civil society and pro-human groups such as the #EndBadGovernance Movement, Take-It-Back Movement and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), demanded a stop to the demolitions and adequate compensation to those who lost relatives and property to the exercise.